Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC!
4 stars

I will start off by saying I haven't read any of the prior books in this series. I mistakenly thought these would all be standalones with small connections to each other. Although I'm not fully wrong, the closeness of the stories is definitely more than I expected, and I do wish I'd read them in order. But if you absolutely would prefer reading this by itself, it's definitely easily done! But you will be seeing lots of Briar from the earlier books, and even getting her PoV.

Regardless of wishing I'd read the other books first, this was still a really good read! The writing is relatively simple, and there's more time jumps than I'd like, but the characters and story are both very fun! I also always love a tale that remembers to put weight into friendships and not just relationships. There was a lot less horror than I expected given the name, but the naiad lore was enjoyable, and I especially loved Perpetua's struggle with her identity as one. Gaining humanity but being a naiad biologically made for a great dynamic. This book also committed to an ending that I didn't expect, and I really hope that it's picked up in one of the future books to really resolve it all 👀

Castel was my favorite character. He's a fun type of morally grey, and I especially loved getting to see things through his PoV for the bonus chapter. Give me more characters like Castel please <3 Has given up his humanity yet still retains some of it because part of him is a good person deep down. He's another one I hope appears more throughout the series.

If it isn't obvious from how I've talked, I'll likely get more into this series, and even read onward. Even if it's not, like, Cinders level for me, I'm definitely enjoying this retelling-verse <3

I greatly enjoyed this dark version the classic little mermaid. Many legends of mermaids are not sweet but vicious creatures that use their beauty and enchanting voices to lure men to their doom. Perpetua is fascinated by Humans and in frustration during a hunt, saves one from a rival Naiad and is banished from her underwater kingdom as the result. The Human she saves just happens to be a prince suffering from a broken heart but ironically also a monster hunter. When she is cursed to become a Human herself and walk the land, he is her lifeline to surviving in this world, but even worse, she begins to have feelings for him and also discovered she is still a voracious carnivore who must feed on the species she has been transformed into. All of this is more than a little messy, intense, and written out with a playful sadistic skill that makes for an interesting read with lots of twists, some rather bloody, some strangely sweet.

Elizabeth K. King’s The Little Sea Monster, the third installment in the Horrific Fairy Tales Series, continues to captivate readers with its compelling blend of fantasy and moral complexity. This young adult sci-fi fantasy novel offers a fresh, dark twist on traditional mermaid lore, combining elements of romance, suspense, and existential dilemmas in a manner that will resonate with fans of both classic fairy tales and contemporary fantasy.

The premise of The Little Sea Monster is both intriguing and imaginative. It introduces us to Perpetua, a naiad—a sea creature of extraordinary beauty who harbors a deadly secret: her survival depends on consuming human flesh. This initial setup is ripe with potential for tension and conflict, setting the stage for a gripping narrative.

When a routine hunt goes awry, Perpetua's decision to save a human, Demetri, results in her being cast out by her fellow naiads and cursed by a sea witch. Transformed into a human, Perpetua is thrust into a world she doesn’t understand, with only Demetri as her guide. The twist, however, is that Demetri is a hunter of naiads, unaware of Perpetua’s true nature. This creates a complex web of deception and vulnerability that fuels the story’s central conflict.

King excels in weaving a plot that balances emotional depth with high-stakes drama. As Perpetua struggles to adapt to her new human form, she faces the dual challenges of concealing her past and combating an insatiable hunger for human flesh. Her internal battle is intensified by her growing affection for Demetri, which complicates her decisions and adds a poignant layer to the narrative.

King’s characterization of Perpetua is particularly noteworthy. Perpetua begins as a seemingly one-dimensional antagonist—a predator bound by her nature. However, as the story progresses, King delves deep into her psyche, exploring her regrets, fears, and desires. This transformation from a fearsome creature to a vulnerable human is portrayed with sensitivity and nuance, making Perpetua’s internal struggle both relatable and tragic.

Demetri, as the secondary protagonist, is also well-developed. His role as a naiad hunter is initially presented with a sense of righteousness, but King gradually reveals the complexities of his motivations and his own moral ambiguities. The dynamic between Perpetua and Demetri is central to the narrative, providing a rich interplay of trust, betrayal, and forbidden love. Their evolving relationship is a highlight of the novel, filled with emotional depth and ethical quandaries.

Fans of teen and YA sci-fi fantasy will find much to admire in The Little Sea Monster. King’s imaginative world-building and inventive take on mermaid mythology offer a fresh perspective that stands out in a crowded genre. The novel’s blend of fantasy elements with real human emotions creates a narrative that is both fantastical and grounded in relatable experiences.

The themes of identity, redemption, and the struggle between one’s nature and one’s desires are explored with sophistication, making the book not only an engaging read but also a thought-provoking one. The moral dilemmas faced by Perpetua will resonate with readers who enjoy stories that delve into the grey areas of right and wrong.

Additionally, King’s writing is evocative, with descriptive passages that bring both the underwater world of the naiads and the human realm to vivid life. The pacing is tight, with enough twists and turns to keep readers on the edge of their seats, while the romantic subplot adds an extra layer of emotional engagement.

The Little Sea Monster is a standout entry in the Horrific Fairy Tales Series, offering a blend of fantasy, romance, and moral complexity that will appeal to a broad range of readers. Elizabeth K. King has crafted a tale that is as enchanting as it is thought-provoking, making it a must-read for fans of YA fantasy and anyone intrigued by a fresh take on mermaid lore.

This was pretty good to me. I haven't read the previous book, but I will definitely be checking it out. Keep up the good work ♡

This was a pretty fun read and I loved the hints of the underlying fairytales from childhood woven in. It was a fun twist on the little mermaid, but I do wish it was more mermaid focused than vampire. Overall, I enjoyed it and would probably appreciate it more had I read the first two.

Elizabeth does it again! Thank you for the chance to read this story. It was amazing. I loved the story. I did not enjoy the back and forward with Demetri. He drove me insane. However, I do understand why he was like that. This story can definitely be read as a standalone but I felt it would be easier to understand when reading the other 2 stories. It was super easy to follow the storyline. It captured my attention by the 3rd chapter. Briar is and always will be my favorite character but Perpetua is definitely up there. She was complex and I loved seeing her grow throughout the story. 10/10.
I love Elizabeth’s ability to capture and hold your attention. Her writing style is definitely my favorite.

I found this to be an interesting twist to the little mermaid. It has that horror feel with a bit of romance. I was very intrigued with the story but there were some parts where I would get bored. I haven’t read the other two books but I didn’t feel like I had to since this story does a good job on explaining everything that has happened. I was not very into the love triangle between Demetri, Perpetua, and Briar. I feel like that is the only part I would have to check out in the other books in order to understand the love Demetri has for Briar. There were many plot twist that it almost gave me whiplash every time it would happen. This story is not a HEA and it almost feels not finished, which I’m guessing is preparing for the next book.

I’m not sure if I would recommend this book but I do think people should read it and form their own opinion

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this e-ARC.

Disappointed in this one. Briar was still her sarcastic badass self so that was nice. But Demetri. So pathetic and indecisive. Perpetua was kind of interesting but the most interesting thing about her was that she was a naiad and even that changed. The back and forth with her and Demetri's relationship was frustrating and then just boring. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I haven't read a book like this before so that was pretty fun. There are definitely some hints at well known fairy tales - and I imagine if you read the first two books in the interconnected world there are overlaps and characters that have continuing stories. I enjoyed Perpetua's character growth. The story had a lot of vampire like mermaid type creatures which is my all time favorite. I do wish we had a bit more of that at the beginning before Perpetua became land-dwelling. I really liked this authors writing style so I'm definitely going to pick up more of her books. This one is a bit longer than I would expect for a book of this type but it wasn't boring at all. Fun dark fairytale retelling.

I have to rate it 4/5 here but it truly is a 4.25/5.
It was an anticipated release for me and I can tell it did not disappoint me. This sequel is my second favorite book in the series (the first book is still my favorite). The plot was very enjoyable and complete, and I loved the way it connected with the first book. Also, I loved the presence of some characters of the first book in here, they added a little thing that was very pleasant. The new characters were also quite to my liking, and they create, with the already existing characters, a sort of found family that was quite sweet. I did also love some twists in the plot that made it more original and darker.
The fact that I have to wait many months for the sequel makes me sad, but I’m very much looking forward to it.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for a honest review.

This book was a 4 star read from me. I loved this story so much... super good. The characters were immaculate and so well created. This story has a handful of everything good in fantasy.